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While it took a little longer than he hoped, Bill Belichick got his 300th regular-season win Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. The longtime Patriots coach joins Hall of Famers Don Shula and George Halas as the only coaches in NFL history with 300 regular-season wins. 

After leading most of the game Sunday against the Bills, Belichick's Patriots fell behind late, but scored with 12 seconds remaining to pull off the upset, 29-25.

Belichick's 331 career wins -- regular season and playoffs combined -- trail only Shula's 347, and it's generally thought that that is one of the reasons why the longtime Patriots coach is still at his post. 

Is Belichick a better coach? As far as Super Bowl wins are concerned, no one is better than Belichick, whose six Lombardi Trophies as Patriots coach is three times more than Shula's tally during his time as head coach of the Colts and Dolphins. Shula, though, led two different teams to the Super Bowl (the Colts in '68 and the Dolphins in '71, '72, '73, '82 and '85) and presided over the only undefeated team in NFL history, the '72 Dolphins. Belichick fell just short of perfection when his 2007 Patriots were shocked by the Giants in the Super Bowl, finishing the campaign 18-1.

Belichick's career as an assistant coach may give him the nod over Shula. Before becoming a head coach, Belichick won two rings as the Giants' defensive coordinator. His legendary game plan for Super Bowl XXV (being physical with Buffalo's receivers while allowing Thurman Thomas to run wild) resides in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 

Those making the case for Shula can point to the fact that he was able to have success in a variety of ways while adjusting to the times. He enjoyed success in Baltimore with Johnny Unitas/Earl Morrall putting up big numbers before presiding over a historic rushing attack during his early years in Miami. Shula then saw his Dolphins offense set numerous records during Dan Marino's prolific career. 

Then, there's the controversies surrounding some of Belichick's teams, including Spygate and Deflategate. Those controversies inspired Shula to refer to Belichick has "Belicheat" prior to Shula's death in 2020 at age 90. 

Despite his legendary career, Shula didn't quite go out on his own terms. He was gently nudged into retirement after the 1995 season despite guiding Miami to its second consecutive playoff berth. The Dolphins have yet to reach the level of success they did during Shula's 26-year run in Miami. 

Amid the Patriots 1-5 start, it appeared in recent days that Belichick could suffer a similar fate to Shula. But those thoughts were halted Sunday when it was reported that Belichick signed a lengthy extension prior to the start of this season, followed by a win to put them at 2-5. 

Tedy Bruschi, a Patriots Hall of Fame linebacker who starred under Belichick's tutelage, doesn't think his coach needs the all-time wins record to solidify his place as the NFL's greatest coach. 

"What do I personally feel [about] how this should go, and how this should end with Bill Belichick? This is just my personal feeling on what should happen," Bruschi said on ESPN via Boston.com." I want him to coach his ass off this season and get six, seven wins, all right?

"Have them playing respectable by the end of the season, and walk away. That's what I want my former coach to do. Don't -- Shula doesn't matter. You've got multiple Super Bowls over Shula. You're a better coach."